City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 10.0% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $110,000 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Lakeland, FL ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.6% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bridgeport, CT | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,902 in Lakeland | $110,009 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Lakeland, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lakeland, FL → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
28 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Bridgeport → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $50,420 | $55,467 (−43.7%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $122,200 | $134,431 (−17.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $76,820 | $84,509 (−17.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $84,030 | $92,441 (−12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.